Fairy Godmother: Making All Your Wedding Day Wishes Come True

This is the part of Wizard of Oz where Dorothy is scared, confused, and worried about what is ahead of her. The same can be true when planning your own wedding. You may start looking to find someone to handle the stress for you, but it can be confusing when looking at all the different service titles. Let’s see if I can help clear up some of that confusion.

Venue Coordinator: When you book your ceremony/reception venue, the site may include what’s known as a Venue Coordinator. We often hear, “Oh the Venue Coordinator will take care of everything”. Just remember that the Venue Coordinator takes care of mostly venue related items not necessarily you! They take care of the room, the staff, the food, the tables etc. Venue Coordinators will not be with you if there is an offsite ceremony. They will not be with you during the planning process of your wedding. They will not be with you when you have an issue with an uncooperative bridesmaid or a pushy family member or when you need help with your train or changing your shoes etc. The Venue Coordinator is a great help at the venue, but they normally do not get involved in all of the pre-planning and the details of your wedding day. Charge is usually included in the cost of the venue.

Wedding Planner/Designer: The Wedding Planner is there to help plan the overall style and design of the wedding, like the flowers, lighting and linens to ensure that the theme of the wedding is reflected in all aspects of the wedding. They go with you on all appointments to assist picking your photographer, your D.J., your venue, etc. They manage the money and ensure that you stay on budget. Charge is usually 10%-15% of total budget.

Wedding Coordinator/Day-of Coordinator: A Wedding Coordinator is a mediator, an orchestrator, a consultant, a sounding board, a friend, and an organizer all rolled into one. Wedding Coordinators plan and work out every aspect of your wedding. They are there to make sure your day is perfect. They create a detailed time-line for your wedding day and manage and work with your vendors. They take care of everything you need in order to ensure your day will be fabulous. Charge is usually $800-$1500 for the entire day and all pre-planning appointments.

Happy planning!

Today’s brides are all about personalization. Starting with the invites all the way down to the wedding favors, couples find ways to show off a bit of their personalities to their guests. Brides (and grooms!) have come up with so many unique ideas to add that personal touch for the big day. Consider these examples and create your day to represent you!

For all of you green brides out there, think about maybe personalized flower seed packets. It will give your guests something to take home, plant, and remember your beautiful day by! Or perhaps you’d like to make your own soy candles. Make them in the colors of your wedding theme and attach a little “thank you” with hemp twine.

The bouquet is a big part of your bridal ensemble, but let’s talk about the bouquet wrap. Some brides add sentimental touches to the stems of those gorgeous flowers. Think of it as your “something old”, may it be your grandmother’s brooch or your great-aunt’s handkerchief.

And let’s not forget the food! You can absolutely use the dinner menu as a way to tell your guests more about you. Maybe include a bit of your heritage in the meal or serve a dish that hails from the place the two of you got engaged.

Happy planning!

Happy Anniversary Amy and T.J.!

We spoke to Amy 6 months before her wedding, we were excited to coordinate her wedding. A few weeks later Amy called to let us know her budget would not allow her to hire a coordinator due to some other vendor changes. I have to admit we were disappointed. There was something special about Amy and we would have loved to be a part of her special day. Then early January, 3 weeks before her wedding we received an email from Amy.
It read and I quote (we still have the email)-sweet!
“Okay, so now I look like a royal jerk, I am sure. Or maybe that is a bit harsh on myself. But I definitely have to step up and admit I was wrong. I hope you remember me. I am getting married 1/22/11 at the Padre. I had a friend who was doing my “day of coordination” and well, as you know, trusting friends can be quite sketch for such an important day.
I am in desperate need of some help. There are a few obstacles that we cannot seem to get around and having to let go and let someone else help with this is where I could desperately use you. If you are already booked I understand, it is my fault for assuming this could be done without you. I have been given some early wedding money I would like to use for your service. Please let me know if you can be of any assistance or if you have any associates who might be available. Once again sorry for not listing in the first place.
Amy Huckabee
Well the rest is history. When I sent her email to our group the entire team agreed to help. We all met at 7 a.m. at the Padre too set-up the reception site at The Padre. We were struck by the beauty of what Amy’s Mom Pam had put together. The attention to detail, all of the design work was beautiful. Pam had a true talent and all of us could see it. When her husband Dale made a quick remark, “You should hire my wife, she loves doing this type of work”. After the wedding we did just that and Pam has been with us ever since. Just this month Pam was promoted to “Lead Designer” She will be in charge of designing all events we are planning. She is very talented and has a real eye for concept and design.
Amazing how things turn out. If Amy did not have the courage to email us, if we were booked, we may have never met Amy (who we adore) and we would have never met Pam (who we adore). Amy is expecting a little baby boy, we are so excited for her and for Pam….hm I wonder who will be planning her baby shower.
Congratulations “Officer” T.J. and Beautiful Amy.

Should you ask for money instead of gifts? – You should never include a request for cash in your invitation. It’s rude and considered tacky.  If you would really prefer money over a gift, let your wedding party and family know. They will likely pass around the information to guests that ask about gifts.

Adults only reception? – How do you politely tell your guests that the reception is adults only? Make sure your invitations are addressed in a way that clearly states which individuals in the family are invited. For example, instead of addressing the invite to “The Johnsons”, address it to “Brian and Kathy Johnson”. It makes it clear to the recipient exactly who’s been invited. Another option to consider is hiring a sitter during the reception. This way, the kids are being taken care of while you enjoy your adults only reception!

Do I tip the service? How much? – Many couples wonder if they should feel obligated to tip the service they have hired (band/DJ, the caterer, etc.). Tips are generally given as a reward for exceptional service. If you do decide to tip, 10 percent of the total cost of service is an appropriate amount. While tips are expected for services such as transportation and bartenders, don’t feel like you need to dish out the cash unless you’re impressed by a job well done.

When to say thanks? – It is appropriate to have those thank you letters sent out by the time 1 month comes around. It’s really better to get them done sooner rather than later. Even if you’re running a bit behind on getting them mailed, it’s better to send them out late than not at all! The note will always be appreciated.

I am so proud of all we have accomplished in just 2 years in business.  We have a true love for what we do and our goal is to always bring that “Fairy Tale” feeling to everyone we come in contact with. 

We have so many people to thank that have helped us get to where we are today, our friends, family and vendor family who have all had a special part in our success.  It would take pages to list all of you.  Thank you to all of our couples and their family whom have trusted one of the most important days of their life to us.  

I would like to dedicate our 2^nd year in business to my niece Elise Westphal.  She is the reason behind the name “Fairy Godmother” because you see way before Fairy Godmother was a reality I was and will always be her Fairy Godmother. I love you bunches “Angel Girl”.